Stuart Barnes breaks down the main talking points from the weekend, including Saracens showing their Champions Cup credentials and club coming before country in France.
1 As a build up to the European Champions Cup, you can't get much better than Saturday's match in Lille. The northern French town, with its own team on the rise, hosted Racing Metro's Top 14 tie with triple European champions, Toulon.
40,000 supporters turned up for the game, and what a game it was with Freddie Michalak trumping Dan Carter as he kicked a late penalty to give Toulon the victory.
In less than a fortnight the two teams clash in Europe's mega quarter-final. Racing may have taken the league game to another town but rest assured the quarter-final will be played on Racing's more familiar, scruffy old stadium on the edge of Paris.
It really will be a home game come April. There might not be such a large crowd but the chances of Racing gaining revenge are increased by the return to familiar territory.
2 I had a chat with a French rugby journalist friend in the Stade de France prior to the Grand Slam game last Saturday. We got to talking tours and I asked him if he would be following France on their summer travels to Argentina - stupid question, Stuart.
The French tour coincides with the Top 14 play-offs. He looked at me askance. In Britain and Ireland the leading journalists are expected to be on tour with their national teams. It remains a clear cut case of country before club.
In France the power of a tournament that can pull a crowd of 40,000 in Lille seems to have superseded the interests of the national team. My friend looked at me as if I was mad when I asked the question - he might have a point.
3 But not quite as crazy as Conor O'Shea seems, at least on a superficial level; Europe's worst kept secret was let out of the bag last week when the Harlequins director of rugby announced he will leave Quins for Italy at the end of the season. In the press release he mentioned the 'great' Italian teams he had played against in the past and the potential of Italy's future.
First of all, let's get serious with the English language and stop abusing it. There have been a few OK Italian teams but never anything remotely resembling great, the potential is not awfully obvious on a weekend when their two professional teams, Treviso and Zebre, leaked more than a hundred points between them.
Italy is a tick on the CV that O'Shea hopes will lead him eventually home to the Ireland job. If he revitalises Italy it will be a tick well deserved for a man who did much for the Harlequins.
4 His current employers are in a rare old scrap this season. The top four and play-offs are possible but no longer probable, while European Champions Cup is probable, but far from certain, after the Quins lost to Northampton on Sunday and Sale beat the Tigers.
5 Harlequins' conquerors know just what a challenge they will face if they are to make the European quarter-finals after Saracens smashed Exeter Saturday afternoon. The Saints might have beaten Saracens recently but with their big guns back in action, Saracens look a cut above any English team.
I wonder whether they have been under-performing in recent weeks as they prepare for an onslaught on English and European fronts. I will confess to some small confidence with the little wager I have on the Saracens to finally win the Champions Cup.
6 Things are not looking so good for my equally miniscule outlay on the Brumbies. They have won three from four games to date but their form has dipped dramatically while the Crusaders and Chiefs are rolling.
Stephen Larkham seems happy enough though and what's good enough for that former great (and he merited the description) is good enough for me. Their home game with the Chiefs is the Super Rugby match to watch out for next weekend.
7 SANZAR have been busy scotching rumours that the Chiefs, Crusaders, Brumbies or whoever wins the Super Rugby title will, in future, play Saracens (or whoever wins in Europe) in a world championship decider.
One day it was in the pipe line, the next day the pipe line has been blown up by Andy Marinos, the CEO of SANZAR. Until we can find a way of making it more than the gimmick it has been in rugby league, I can't see the point, other than the obvious financial one that's bound to be lurking somewhere near the scene of the idea.
8 Rugby League, yes...it's a much trickier transition than some recent luminaries (not to mention coaches cursed with blind faith) have thought; says who? Kevin Sinfield no less.
After five months, the league legend seems to have picked up enough rudiments to dominate union games at the Championship level. His passing and game management were a joy to behold last Sunday in Leeds.
Fly-halves are at their most effective, not hitting the tackle area but staying out of the fracas and running the show. He's too old for England now but what a boon he would have been had he left the Rhinos ten years earlier. Better late than never, it's good to have you in union, Kevin.
9 It's good to see Glasgow defending their PRO12 title with gusto too. The World Cup, unavailability and injuries have hampered Gregor Townsend's team but they are on a roll in the nick of time.
Stuart Hogg's long range penalty to snatch a bonus point from Ulster could be massive. Congratulations to Stuart on being voted Six Nations player of the season, even if the award is downgraded by the failure to have England's George Kruis on the long list.
10 Finally, to south Wales. The Scarlets were not half bad in their win at the Liberty Stadium where a rare scalp leaves them as serious contenders with the likes of Glasgow, Connacht and Leinster to win the PRO12.
Munster will have to win in Dublin next week before they can be added to the rostrum of candidates. But I digress, the Scarlets' pack was impressive and Rob Evans was a worthy man of the match. The most impressive performer of the afternoon though, was referee, Ben Whitehouse. Wales will soon have another referee to be rated at the top of the tree alongside Nigel Owens.
That's it for this week - I am off to see Don Quixote in Stratford, where the Spanish hero will be tilting at windmills. Until next week…